Anthurium plant named &#39;red sensation&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Anthurium  plant named ‘Red Sensation’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching plant form; freely clumping growth habit; medium to dark green-colored leaves; red-colored spathes with pale yellow to red-colored spadices that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes; freely flowering habit; and good inflorescence longevity.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Anthurium hybrida

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘RED SENSATION’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Red Sensation’.

The new Anthurium is the result of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous Anthurium cultivars with compact and dense plant habit, unique leaf coloration, interesting leaf shapes, resistance to pathogens and pests common to Anthuriums and tolerance to low temperatures.

The new Anthurium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors on Jan. 12, 1995 of the Anthurium andreanum cultivar Chilli Red, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Anthurium hybrida cultivar Lady Jane, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Anthurium was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by cuttings since July, 1996 in a controlled environment in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, has shown that the unique features of this new Anthurium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Red Sensation’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Red Sensation’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching plant form.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit.     -   3. Medium to dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Red-colored spathes with pale yellow to red-colored spadices         that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and         erect scapes.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Good inflorescence longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Chilli Red, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Anthurium were shorter, not as         cordate and lighter green in color than leaves of plants of the         cultivar Chilli Red.     -   2. Plants of the new Anthurium had smaller spathes than plants         of the cultivar Chilli Red.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Lady Jane, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Anthurium were more cordate and         lighter green in color than leaves of plants of the cultivar         Chilli Red.     -   2. Plants of the new Anthurium had larger spathes than plants of         the cultivar Chilli Red.

Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Red King, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,381. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in northern Texas, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the Anthurium cultivar Red King in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Anthurium were smaller than plants of the         cultivar Red King.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Anthurium were smaller and         lighter green in color than leaves of plants of the cultivar Red         King.     -   3. Plants of the new Anthurium had smaller spathes and shorter         spadices than plants of the cultivar Red King.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Anthurium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Anthurium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Red Sensation’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Red Sensation has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Anthurium that were grown in containers in Apopka, Fla., in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse with light levels about 2,500 foot-candles. During the production of the plants, temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 40° C. Plants used for the photograph and description were about one year from planting. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Anthurium hybrida cultivar Red Sensation. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Anthurium andreanum cultivar Chilli             Red, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Anthurium hybrida cultivar Lady             Jane, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 to 18 days at             25° C. to 38° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 25 to 30 days at             18° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant.—About 30 to 40 days at             18° C. to 38° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous, fleshy; off-white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely-branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant shape.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit;             inverted triangle; symmetrical.         -   Growth habit.—Freely clumping, bushy and dense growth habit;             about five clumps per plant; moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About 45             cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 51 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 66 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 20.5 cm. Width: About 13.5 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:             Apiculate; recurving. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Leathery; glabrous,             smooth. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Glossy. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Darker green than 144A.             Venation, upper surface: Midvein, close to 144A; lateral             veins, close to 147A. Venation, lower surface: Midvein,             close to 144A to 144B; lateral veins, close to 144A.             Petiole: Length: About 36 cm. Diameter, just below             geniculum: About 3 mm. Diameter, at plant base: About             1.1 cm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.             Geniculum length: About 3.6 cm. Geniculum diameter: About             6 mm. Geniculum texture: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Geniculum color, upper surface: Close to 144A; with             development, tinged with close to 187A. Geniculum color,             lower surface: Close to 144A. Wing length: About 5.5 cm.             Wing diameter: About 6 mm. Wing color: Close to 144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Spathes with spadices held above             and beyond the foliage. Flowering structures arise from leaf             axils. Freely and continuous flowering year-round in India.             Typically about five to seven inflorescences per plant.             Inflorescences not fragrant.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two             months under winter conditions and about three months under             summer conditions; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 8 cm. Width: About 6.2 cm. Shape:             Cordate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Leathery; glabrous,             smooth; waxy. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Glossy.             Aspect: Reflexed along the midrib. Color: When developing,             front and rear surfaces: Close to 45A. Fully developed,             front and rear surfaces: Close to 45A.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter, at apex: About 4 mm.             Diameter, at base: About 6 mm. Shape: Columnar, strongly             tapering towards the apex; apex, obtuse; base, obtuse. Cross             section: Rounded. Aspect: About 60° from vertical. Color:             Immature: 4D. Mature: Close to 46A; color eventually             becoming closer to 144A with development.         -   Flowers.—Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 250. Shape:             Rounded. Height: Less than 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther color: No anthers             visible. Gynoecium: Stigma shape: Ovoid. Stigma color: Close             to 45B. Ovary color: Close to 45B.         -   Scape.—Length: About 38.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to slightly outwardly             slanted to about 20° from vertical. Color: Towards the base,             144A; towards the apex, faintly overlain with close to 187A.         -   Seed and fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Anthurium. -   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,     plants of the new Anthurium have not been observed to be resistant     to pathogens or pests common to Anthurium. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Anthurium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 15° C. to about to 40°     C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named ‘Red Sensation’, as illustrated and described. 